The long term goal of this research is to reveal the neural mechanisms that explain each of the behavioral deficits of infantile strabismus (eye misalignment), and the time in development at which they occur. The specific goal of the project is to determine if eye realignment early in the critical period can repair these behavioral and structural deficits of visual cortex. Newborn macaques will be reared wearing Dr. Bradley's goggles designed for monkeys, which will be fitted with prism lenses in order to induce optical strabismus. The strabismus will be repaired at one of three postnatal ages (3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months) corresponding to "very early" (3 months), "average" (12 months), and "late" (2 years) strabismus surgery in children. The three hypotheses generated for this project have in common the prediction that the earlier the realignment of the eyes, the greater the recovery. FUNDING NIH / NEI $38,505 12/01/98 - 11/30/02 PUBLICATIONS None P51RR00165-38 1/1/98 - 12/31/98 Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center